The Furry Forecaster

On February 2, our eyes and ears turn to a furry forecaster to find out how long this winter will last. Since 1886, the United States has celebrated Groundhog Day – a day when Punxsutawney Phil emerges from a winter sleep to look for his shadow. If he sees his shadow, that is considered an omen of six more weeks of dreary weather. No shadow predicts an early spring.

In the movie Groundhog Day, arrogant TV weatherman Phil Connors travels to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to report on the town’s festivities. Unhappy with his job and life in general, Phil tends to see the glass as half empty. That is, until a blizzard strikes. He becomes stranded in the town he dislikes and suffers from a severe case of deja vu, forced to experience the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over again.

As a result, Phil finds himself thinking about how best to use the day. He has the opportunity to relive the day until he gets it right. Ultimately, he becomes much happier, displaying attractive qualities that had been trapped inside. And, of course, he wins the girl.

So, while we wait to hear whether the groundhog will see his shadow, we should take a minute to think about the best way to use each day. What if we were able to relive it until we got it right? What would the right day be?

It’s easy to be consumed by our busy schedules and act as though tomorrow is just another day. But, what if we decided to take control? Hopefully, as Phil did, we can train ourselves to see the glass as half full and create our perfect days.